Likewise
by Wandering Letters
Summary: Takes place after the events of Dream Drop Distance but just before Kingdom Hearts 3. After pondering his feelings, Sora decides it's time to be honest. With his heart, with his feelings and most importantly, with Kairi. A single oneshot, told from three perspectives! May contain OOC moments.
1. Likewise

**(A/N): Hello everyone. I'm a bit new to this side of the fanfiction universe but I can assure you that I've been a fan of Kingdom Hearts since its conception. I own all of the games and played every single one of them to completion so I've definitely done my research and have had time to get invested in the characters. As you can probably tell if you've clicked on this story, I'm a huge fan of Sora and Kairi (SoKai) as a pairing.**

 **I've always wanted to write one of these for the pairing but I've never thought my writing to be worthy of doing so until now. After hearing that Ray Of Hope remix for Simple And Clean, inspiration slapped me in the face and now, I present to you a SoKai oneshot!**

 **Do let me know what you guys think and thanks for reading!**

* * *

 **EDIT: I made some changes to this chapter. If you have read this story already, please go ahead and note the changes!**

* * *

 _ **Likewise**_

* * *

 _"True Love doesn't mean being inseparable, it's being separated and nothing changes."_

 _..._

 _"Oh man...what a long day,"_

Sora let out a lazy yawn before taking a bite of the apple in his hand. After making himself comfortable on the tree he always sat at, he looked up at the reddening sky.

 _"Can't believe this place hasn't changed at all since I've been gone...it's got the same homely feel,"_

Even though he had been back a few weeks now, the young Keyblade master couldn't help but be relived that he finally made it back. After enduring grueling tests, defeating countless enemies and having a hand in stopping Organization XIII from achieving their goals, it felt good to finally sit back and relax. He had to admit that even going to school was something he somewhat missed, though the work was still something he found himself dreading...at least slightly. He knew that he couldn't get too comfortable however; the time would come where the King would need his help in halting the coming storm at the hands of Master Xehanort. Until then...it was time to take a needed rest.

However, the longer he stayed, the more he wanted the world to go back to being peaceful...so that happiness could reign supreme.

"Someone looks deep in thought,"

Sora smiled upon hearing the sound of a familiar voice.

"Guessing you're done with training for the day huh?" he replied.  
"I've been done for a couple hours now, I was waiting for you to come back,"

He sat up before scooting over to make room for another. He was however met with a light poke to the forehead, causing him to make a silly face. The sweet sound of laughter filled the air.

"I knew I'd find you here,"  
"There aren't that many places that I go to relax Kairi," he replied with a chuckle.

The Princess Of Heart took her seat next to him before letting out a deep breath.

"The days...are going by so quickly," she said.

Sora noticed how much her tone shifted from being joyous to almost melancholy.

"Something on your mind?" he asked.

She bit her lower lip and nodded slowly.

"...I'm afraid that if we leave again, we won't come back," she replied.

Her right hand instinctively hovered her left shoulder before coming to rest as her eyes narrowed.

"...I just got you and Riku back but now we have to leave again when we're needed to fight the darkness," she said.  
"It's our duty as wielders of the Keyblade," replied Sora.

Kairi looked at him, somewhat in disbelief that the lazy bum she's known her entire life was the one being serious.

"It's something I've thought about non-stop since I got back too...and I'd be lying if I didn't say that I wasn't scared myself," he said.

His tone was reassuring for her, but she knew that Sora wasn't an easy person to discourage and for him to admit fear, it was for something far more than just the stakes.

"What're you afraid of Sora?" she asked.

His sapphire orbs met hers and much to her surprise he shook his head.

"It's...something I have a hard time putting into words," he replied.

For a brief moment, she saw a passionate glint in his eyes but she couldn't tell exactly what it was for. He turned back to the sunset, his face now softening and his body relaxing down to his usual self.

"This sunset...is just as it was when we were kids," he said.

His tone sounded almost absent-minded but Kairi nodded in agreement; it was one of the things that she spent a lot of her time admiring while both her friends were gone. In fact, the sunset was what kept her company for just about all of the time and she began to remember how much she wanted to see her friends come back.

"Yeah...it's beautiful," she mused.

Sora got to his feet and leaned against the tree and after a few seconds, she noticed that something caught his eye. He looked away, laughing very softly to himself before turning to her.

"What's wrong?" she asked.  
"Nothing at all...say Kairi, I was hoping we could talk about something,"

She was taken aback at his sudden request, though she didn't understand why he would ask such a question; he knew that he could talk to her about **anything**.

"What is it Sora?" she asked.  
"I don't wanna talk about it here...I was hoping we could meet up tonight?" he replied.

For some reason, Kairi felt her cheeks heat up and she was thankful that Sora had turned to stretch his arms else he may have noticed the shade of pink that suddenly enveloped her face.

"Where?" she asked.

He looked towards the shore and then back towards the buildings before raising a finger and pointing to a familiar layer of vegetation. She nodded and smiled.

"I'll finish all my chores and meet you there then?" asked Sora.  
"Alright, I'll be waiting for you,"

* * *

"Sora?"

Kairi entered the cave to see that her friend had not arrived yet. She let out a soft laugh; typical Sora to always be late. After taking a look at her watch, Kairi shrugged before beginning to examine the cave. Immediately, she felt a wave of nostalgia go through her body. Memories of all the drawings the trio made came rushing back to her. She absent-mindedly began to run her hands across the old markings, each holding a fond memory of one or both of her friends. Upon reaching drawings that she drew alone with Sora, she laughed softly at seeing the difference between their skills.

Sora was a terrible artist, but he nevertheless came with her here and spent the time. She was always grateful for the attention he gave her, even when it was an inconvenience to him. Then again, does inconvenience even exist for a person as easygoing as Sora. She continued along her path until she happened upon one of the later drawings they did. Upon crouching down and examining it more closely, she recognized it as the second to last drawing she did with him. The memories of that night came rushing back and just as she felt as if she were reliving the moment...

"Kairi?"

She turned around almost instantly to see him getting up from the crawl space. He comically sneezed from the dust, causing her to giggle softly. Sora looked at her and smiled brightly.

"Took you long enough you lazy bum," she teased.  
"Sorry about that, doing all that stuff took longer than I thought," he said.

Then, as if his eyes just caught onto where he was, he smiled.

"Sure brings back memories doesn't it?" he asked.

She smiled at him and giggled softly.

"Sure does!" she replied joyfully.

Sora crouched down and began to run his hands along the drawings, laughing softly to himself. She joined him as they started to comment on each of their respective doodles. They continued to eye just about ever square inch of the walls, commenting on each of the drawings for several minutes. Though she knew that Sora called her here for a purpose, she didn't mind just having fun with him; it wasn't often that she got the chance to do so. Upon reaching a particular drawing however, Kairi couldn't help but pause and blush. She was thankful that Sora was giving the wall all of his attention, else he may have noticed her face. Much to her surprise, Sora sat against the wall, next to the drawing before looking up at her. He seemed almost... _nervous_?

"What's wrong Sora?" she asked.

He looked to the ground next to him and patted it. She joined him, though her eyes didn't leave his for even a moment.

"It's...really hard to put it into words," he said.

He broke eye contact with her for a brief moment to catch his breath.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking lately...about this coming war and everything that happened in the last year," he began.

She had never seen him look so concerned; he was a difficult person to get down due to his very optimistic nature.

"The one thing I keep coming back to...is you Kairi," he said.

Once again, she felt immense heat build up in her cheeks. Sora then placed his hand on the drawing, particularly over the special part that he knew she filled in.

"I didn't tell you...but the first place I went when we got back was here," he said.

Kairi felt her heart begin to soften greatly and even though she was nervous, she could sense the happiness in his words.

"...I couldn't believe that you came back here and filled it in," he said with a soft laugh.

He turned back to face her with a grateful smile.

"You're the only reason I was able to get this far...whenever I felt that all hope was lost, your voice kept me going," he said.

Much to her surprise, Sora reached for one of her hands and held it lovingly.

"I was horrified when I saw you that day in Hollow Bastion...and when I had the choice of giving up everything to save your life, I did it without a second thought...because you mean the world to me Kairi," he said.

She knew her cheeks were bright red but at this point, she didn't care. She found herself inching closer to him, though he didn't seem to notice. Every word that came out of his mouth caused her to grow increasingly happy.

"Nothing compared to the happiness I felt on the day I saw you again in The World That Never Was...that you were alright and more importantly, that nothing changed between us; we were still friends,"

He looked away for a brief moment, as if to try and calm his clearly racing heart.

"Ever since Riku and I got back, I've wanted to spend more time with you because I missed you so much...it was the hardest year I've ever had to endure but then all of this started happening," he said gesturing towards the air.

She continued to listen to him, though she continued to inch closer without him noticing.

"And now that we could be called at any time...I felt terrified that I'd never get the chance to say what I've always wanted to say to you Kairi," he said.

His eyes broke away, looking towards the ground.

"What's that Sora?" she asked.

Her tone was gentle and her other hand enveloped his.

"That I love you,"

There was no pause, there was no struggle or hesitation. He managed to speak the words to her, though he shut his eyes tightly during it.

"I was always watching you since we were kids...I wanted to make you smile and I didn't ever want to see you frown," he continued.

Kairi gasped softly once she started to see tears start to stream out of his closed eyes.

"And after all this time, now I'm sure...I really do love you Kairi; you're everything to me...and I would do anything to protect you,"

Sora took a breath and tried to speak again but he was silenced by a finger. His blue eyes flew open to reveal that they were slightly red and puffy. He was astonished to see the most genuine smile he had ever seen grace her face.

"You don't have to say anymore...because when I finished that drawing...I knew my feelings too,"

He hesitantly backed up until he reached the wall, now realizing just how close she was to him. Once he saw her lean towards him, he finally managed to grab hold of his frantic heart and face her. Her eyes began to narrow.

"I never stopped thinking about you...even when I thought I had forgotten you, you found yourself right back where you belong...in my heart,"

She took one of his hands and placed it over her chest.

"...You feel that?"

Sora nodded.

"Every day you were gone...it felt like it wasn't beating," she said.

He narrowed his eyes, feeling guilt begin to swell within his heart.

"But when I saw you again that day...when I hugged you and said that it was real...that was the moment I truly knew that I wanted to be with you,"

She moved nearer to him and gave him a smile.

"You didn't break your promise to me...you came home just as you said you would and for that...you've made me the happiest girl in the world,"

She gently wiped the remnants of his tears from his cheeks.

"I love you too Sora,"

His eyes widened even more once her lips touched his, but within seconds, he felt himself ease into the contact. His hands released hers as one went to her cheek and the other gently grasped her arm. She responded leaning a little closer, ensuring that their bodies were connected, just as their hearts have been for all this time. After several seconds, Sora broke away from her, smiling and blushing brightly. He then reached into his pocket, before pulling out a Paopu Fruit. Kairi blushed but didn't shy away from the gesture.

"...Share this with me?" he asked.  
"Of course I will,"

He broke the fruit in half before handing her a piece. Once he did however, she didn't place it in her mouth, instead, she brought it towards his. Sora caught onto the idea before bringing the piece in his hand to her mouth. On a non-verbal count of 3, they gently placed each piece of the fruit into their respective mouths. The smiles on their faces indicated that the fruit was quite pleasant, likely made more so by the fact that they were sharing it together. After several more pieces, the fruit was finished.

"...I guess we're intertwined forever," he said.

He barely had time to catch a breath before she kissed him again. After several more seconds of pure warmth, the couple separated once more as Kairi gave him a smile.

"Even if we didn't share it...you already know that I'm always with you," she said.

He noticed that her face had shifted to a passionate one, her eyes further cementing the fact that she meant every single word. Kairi smiled and nodded before leaning her forehead against his. He responded by gently cupping her cheek and nodding.

"Likewise," was his solemn response.


	2. Kairi's View

**_Likewise: Kairi's View_**

* * *

 _"Thinking of you, wherever you are.  
_ _We pray for our sorrows to end, and hope that our hearts will blend.  
_ _Now I will step forward to realize this wish.  
_ _And who knows? S_ _tarting a new journey may not be so hard.  
_ _O_ _r maybe it has already begun.  
_ _There are many worlds, but they share the same sky —_ _one sky, one destiny._ "

...

Throughout the entire day, I couldn't take my mind off of what Sora could possibly have wanted to talk about. Maybe he wanted to share all of what he went through during the time he was gone, maybe he just wanted to spend some time together...or maybe...

 _"Wishful thinking I guess,"_

I sighed softly as I continued to look towards the moon. It was already nighttime and it was beginning to get cold.

 _"Picked a terrible night to not bring a jacket with me..."_

I turned to the crawlspace to the Secret Place and started to move inside.

"Sora?"

I managed to make it inside the small cave, amazed that I was still able to fit through it despite how much taller I grew in all this time. After brushing my knees clean of any dirt, I looked around the cave, with a strong feeling of nostalgia.

 _"It's been a while since I've come in here..."_

The memories of Riku, Sora and I coming in here as children came rushing back. It was a place where we could have fun, just the three of us. It was where we made a lot of memories, promises and more importantly...it was the place where we decided that we would be friends, no matter what happened to any of us. Little did I know back then that everything would change.

I still don't have much memory of everything that happened after that fateful night two years ago. It was as if I was in some kind of trance...and the next thing I knew, it all went blank. It felt like I was floating in a dark void...I couldn't speak, I couldn't move, all that was there was emptiness. A few times, I felt life return to my body for a brief moment, but it felt too exhausting to do anything else.

Then all of a sudden, I woke up in some place I've never seen before. The first face I saw when I opened my eyes...was Sora's. I had hoped that he would be happy to see me...and for a moment, he really did. But then I noticed the light around his body and that he was falling...so I ran as fast as my legs could carry me, only for him to vanish right before my eyes. Up until that moment, I had never felt so terrified...frozen with fear and having no idea what to do because I had lost the most important person to me.

Though I was alive, Sora had made the ultimate sacrifice to give me my heart back...and the fact that he knew what would've happened to him if he did that made me cry even more upon realizing that he was gone.

He chose **me**...over himself. Sora was always the selfless kind of guy, but I didn't imagine for a moment that he would give up everything for someone else, let alone me.

My desire to see him again, coupled with just how much I cared about him was the only thing that kept me going and even though I saw him disappear, I refused to believe that he was gone forever. There had to be something that I could do to bring him back...and I was glad that I held that belief. It was terrifying at first; the Heartless surrounded me but somehow...I was able to tell that one particular one was him. He didn't show any aggression like the others and without even thinking, I rushed to his side. I had no way to defend myself, I was separated from Donald and Goofy and I had no idea what I was going to do to bring him back. So I did the only thing I believed could help.

I held him and swore that I would keep him away from the darkness. I had no idea back then that my heart was powerful enough to do something as crazy as bring a Heartless to human form...and once I felt warm arms around me, I had never felt so relieved. He was back, and I could touch him again.

Just when I thought that everything was going to be alright, Sora had to make a choice of staying behind to help the others or to come back to the islands with me. I wanted nothing more than to be with them again...but I knew that Sora was the only one who could help fight the darkness. It was the most difficult decision I ever had to make...I had to let him go. Then, as if he knew my thoughts, he said these words to me:

 _"I'm always with you too...I'll come back to you...I promise!"_

It reminded me so much of the time I teased him just before we left Destiny Islands, when I suggested that we take the raft together...just the two of us. I rememberd how shocked he was to hear me say that and back then, I really was only joking.

 _"Right now on the other hand..."_

I blushed just thinking about it. And the thing was...

Sora would've done it if he had enough time to process it. He always kept his word. He was never a person who would make a promise and then not keep it. I believed in **him**. And I knew at that moment, just before we parted...that he would keep true to himself.

So I let him go.

It would be the longest year I had ever endured before I could see him again. I spent a lot of my time looking out towards the sunset, hoping for even a sign that they would return. But...my memories of Sora began to fade. I would later learn that it was all because of Namine, interfering with his memories. I never learned the full story...but I knew that I couldn't sit and wait around anymore. I had to do _something_ to find them.

After being offered a chance to see them again, I took it without hesitation. It was a terrifying journey, having met members of Organization XIII and having my resolve tested more than once after seeing what they were trying to accomplish.

Then everything changed when I saw Riku. Even though he wasn't himself, I was able to tell that it was him because of how kind he was to me. He led me to Sora...and that was the first time I had seen him in over a year. Even though he had grown taller and his voice deepened, he was the same lazy bum that I grew up with. But the first thing he said to me...was an **apology**?

Even after all he went through, after all the battles he's fought and the situations he's been in...he was _apologizing_ for not keeping his promise?

My feelings finally gave way and I grabbed him in the deepest hug I had ever given someone, so happy that I was finally with him again. Even though the three of us were reunited again...fate would once again test my resolve as I got separated again from them. I felt powerless; even though I was supposed to be a Princess Of Heart and I was capable of using a Keyblade, there was nothing I could do to help my friends and once again, I was sent back to Destiny Islands, where I could do nothing but hope that they would overcome the darkness.

The final time...was when I saw them fall from the sky. When they got to shore and Sora gave me his signature smile...that was the happiest moment of my life.

 _"And here we are after training for the coming storm..."_

"Kairi?"

I jolted from my thoughts and turned around to see Sora crawling through the hole. He got to his feet before comically sneezing from the dust on his nose, causing me to laugh softly.

"Took you long enough you lazy bum," I teased.

He laughed nervously and put his hand behind his head.

"Sorry about that, doing all that stuff took longer than I thought," he replied.

He approached one of the walls and placed a hand on it.

"Sure brings back memories...doesn't it?"

I nodded in agreement.

"Sure does!"

I did my best to sound happy because I could tell that he really felt sorry for making me wait here. Sora crouched down and began to run his hands along the drawings, laughing softly to himself. I happily joined him as I started to joke about how silly some of these doodles really were. It didn't take long for us to get lost in the fun as we went over just about every square inch of the cave, commenting on each of the drawings for several minutes at a time. Though I knew that Sora called me here for a reason, I didn't mind just having fun with him; it was rare for me to get the chance to do so. Upon reaching a particular drawing however, I couldn't help but pause and blush; it was the drawing of us sharing the Paopu Fruit. I was thankful that Sora was giving the wall all of his attention, else he may have noticed my obviously red face. However, he caught me off guard when he sat next to the drawing before looking right at me. His eyes showed he was... _nervous_?

"What's wrong Sora?" I asked.

He looked to the ground next to him and patted it. I joined him, though my eyes refused to leave his for even a moment.

"It's... _really_ hard to put it into words," he said.

He broke eye contact with me for a moment and took a deep breath.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking lately...about this coming war and everything that's happened in the last year," he began.

I had never seen him look so concerned; he was a difficult person to get down due to his very optimistic nature.

"The one thing I keep coming back to...is _you_ Kairi," he said.

Once again, I felt immense heat build up in my cheeks. My heart rate suddenly doubled and an immense wave of pure warmth coursed through my body. He then placed his hand on the drawing, particularly over the special part that he knew I filled in.

"I didn't tell you...but the first place I went when we got back was here," he said.

I felt my heart begin to soften greatly and even though I was insanely nervous, I could sense the happiness in his words...but it wasn't the usual happy-go-lucky kind of happiness that everyone expected from Sora...no. It was different... **much** more pure.

"...I couldn't believe that you came back here and filled it in," he said with a soft laugh.

He turned back to face me with a grateful smile.

"You're the only reason I was able to get this far...whenever I felt that all hope was lost, your voice kept me going," he said.

Much to my astonishment, Sora reached for one of my hands and held it lovingly.

"I was horrified when I saw you that day in Hollow Bastion...and when I had the choice of giving up everything to save your life, I did it without a second thought...because you mean the world to me Kairi," he said.

I knew my cheeks were bright red but at this point, I didn't care if he saw them. Unconsciously, I found myself inching closer to him, though he didn't seem to notice. Every word that came out of his mouth caused my smile to grow increasingly genuine until I was completely convinced.

 _"...He really does care about me..."_

"Nothing compared to the happiness I felt on the day I saw you again in The World That Never Was...that you were alright and more importantly, that nothing changed between us; we were still friends,"

He looked away for a brief moment, as if to try and calm his clearly racing heart. I had never seen Sora open up so much...in fact, I don't think I've _ever_ seen Sora get so emotional before.

"Ever since Riku and I got back, I've wanted to spend more time with you because I missed you so much...it was the hardest year I've ever had to endure but then all of this started happening," he said gesturing towards the air.

I subconsciously continued to inch closer without him noticing. My eyes left his for a brief moment to look at his lips...and it was then that I realized just how handsome was.

"And now that we could be called at any time...I felt terrified that I'd never get the chance to say what I've always wanted to say to you Kairi," he said.

His eyes broke away, looking towards the ground. I knew what he wanted to say...but I wanted to hear him say it. I knew that if I made it obvious that I caught on, it would discourage him, I decided to play along.

"What's that Sora?" I asked.

I ensured that my voice was as gentle as I could make it as my other hand enveloped his.

"That **I love you** ,"

There was no pause, there was no struggle or hesitation. He said the words simple and cleanly...though he shut his eyes tightly during it. I could only imagine the flood of emotions going through his head, but he already said the three words that cemented his place in my heart.

"I was always watching you since we were kids...I wanted to make you smile and I didn't ever want to see you frown," he continued.

I drew in some much needed air and as much s started to see tears start to stream out of his closed eyes.

"And after all this time, now I'm sure...I really do **love** you Kairi; you're **everything** to me...and I would do **anything** to protect you,"

Sora took a breath and tried to speak again but he was silenced by my finger. His blue eyes flew open to reveal that they were slightly red and puffy. He was astonished to see the most genuine smile he had ever seen grace my face. His words resonated so much within me, especially when he said that I meant everything to him. It made me feel so special...and so safe. Now I knew that Sora was the bravest person I've ever met. He just confessed everything to me...and did so without having any idea how I would react. Now that I thought about it, perhaps that was the reason he came so late. Maybe he was thinking about what he was going to say. Knowing that he was beginning to get flustered, I gently placed a hand on his cheek

"You don't have to say anymore...because when I finished that drawing...I knew my feelings too,"

He hesitantly backed up until he reached the wall, now realizing just how close I was to him. He was hesitant for an understandable reason; we had no idea what this war would hold for any of us. For all we knew...this could be the last night of peace that we would ever have. Once he saw me begin to lean towards him, he finally managed to grab hold of his frantic heart and face me. My eyes began to narrow as I focused on his lips.

"I never stopped thinking about you...even when I thought I had forgotten you, you found yourself right back where you belong... **in my heart** ,"

I took one of his hands into mine and placed it over my chest.

"...You feel that?"

He nodded solemnly.

"Every day you were gone...it felt like it wasn't beating," she said.

He narrowed his eyes and I could sense the guilt beginning to swell within his heart. After all of what we've been through, he was _still_ worried that he broke his promise? Knowing full well that he would never forgive himself unless I made it clear it was alright, I took another breath.

"When I saw you again that day...when I hugged you and said that it was real...that was the moment I truly knew that I wanted to be with you,"

I moved nearer to him and gave him a smile.

"You didn't break your promise to me...you came home just as you said you would and because of that...you've made me the happiest girl in the world,"

I gently wiped the remnants of his tears from his cheeks.

"I love you too Sora,"

His eyes widened even more and I took the chance to press my lips to his. He tensed for a brief moment but within seconds, I felt him slowly allowing himself to return the kiss. His hands released mine as one went to my left cheek and the other gently grasped my right arm. I responded leaning a little closer, ensuring that our bodies were connected, just as our hearts have been for all this time. After several yearlong seconds, Sora broke away from me, smiling and blushing brightly. He then reached into his pocket, before pulling out a Paopu Fruit. I blushed profusely, but didn't shy away from the gesture.

"...Share this with me?" he asked.  
"Of course I will,"

He broke the fruit in half before handing me a piece. Once he did however, I didn't place it in my mouth. Instead, I opted to bring it to his. He quickly caught onto the idea before bringing the piece in his hand to my mouth. On a non-verbal count of 3, we gently placed each piece of the fruit into our respective mouths. I always wondered what it tasted like and I'm glad that I got to share it with him. The fruit was sweet and had a very pleasant aftertaste that reminded me a lot of a lime. After several more pieces, the fruit was finished.

"...I guess we're intertwined forever," he said.

He barely had time to catch a breath before I kissed him again. All the words he spoke, all the thoughts he revealed...forget all the others. _This_ moment was now the happiest of my life. I enjoyed kissing him so much. Perhaps he was a really good kisser, maybe I just wanted him to know for sure that I meant everything I said before...or maybe it was because I was cold in this cave. After several more seconds of pure warmth, I pulled away and gave him a smile.

"Even if we didn't share it...you already know that I'm always with you," I said.

I stared into his eyes, ensuring that he believed every word that came out of my mouth. I instinctively placed my hand on his chest and looked into his eyes. He responded by gently cupping my cheek and nodding with a smile.

"Likewise," was his solemn response.


	3. Sora's View

**_Likewise: Sora's View_**

* * *

 _"If I did anything right in my life, it was when I gave my heart to you"_

...

 _"Just a little bit more..."_

I stretched my arm as far as it could reach before finally, I managed to grasp the fruit in my hand. I tugged it and managed to dislodge it from the tree. Once I had a firm grip, I hopped off of it and sighed in relief.

 _"Okay Sora...gotta make sure that you say everything on your mind,"_

It was **so** difficult to keep calm; I admittedly lied about all the chores I had to do. In fact, I did them all within a few minutes of getting home. What all my time was spent doing...was thinking about everything I was going to say to her.

She was all that was on my mind ever since the day I came back here...and saw that she finished the drawing. The drawing of us sharing a Papou Fruit. I constantly tried to tell myself that it was only friendship...but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I really care for Kairi. More so than anyone else around. I had wanted to spend some time with her, just the two of us since we got back after The World That Never Was but once Master Yen Sid decided she needed to be trained, that time became almost impossible to find. For all I knew, this could be the very last night that we got to spend alone.

 _"Better make the most of it...better head over there now; she's probably there waiting for me,"_

I made my way over to the crawlspace and made my way through, anxiety beginning to weigh down on my nerves. I had no idea how she was going to react, but the fact that she filled in the drawing with her half...gave me a good feeling that she would at least listen to what I had to say.

That was probably the thing I loved most about Kairi: she was always there for me. If I got a cut, she was there to apply the band-aid. If I was feeling down, she would cheer me up. If I was feeling discouraged, she would give me a pep talk and make me believe in myself. And she always did it with her gentle smile.

 _"Better calm down...or I probably won't get through even half my speech,"_

I made it to the end of the crawlspace.

"Kairi?" I called out.

I saw a blue skirt as I got to my feet, but some dust falling from the ceiling got to my nose, causing me to sneeze. The sound of her giggle indicated that she was fully aware that I was here.

"Took you long enough you lazy bum," she teased.  
"Sorry about that, doing all that stuff took longer than I thought," I replied.

I then began to look around, feeling a nostalgia not so different than when I came here after returning home. I smiled absent-mindedly.

"Sure brings back memories doesn't it?" I asked.  
"Sure does!" she replied in her joyful tone.

I crouched down and began to run my hands along the drawings, laughing softly to myself. Though I was genuinely nervous, I tried to use the drawings as an outlet for my anxiety. She joined in on the fun as she started to comment on each of our pictures. This continued for several minutes as we went over just about every inch of the wall, each drawing having a hearty laugh or an embarrassing memory. Though she knew that I called her here for a purpose, she didn't seem to mind just having fun; it wasn't often that she got the chance to do so. Upon reaching a particular drawing however, my heart rate immediately doubled. I was thankful that I was looking straight at the drawing, else she might've noticed some of the color leave my face.

 _"...Gotta stay calm,"_

My breathing unconsciously quickened and I tried to shake my head free of the coming emotions. All I had to do was tell her what was on my mind and she wasn't going to turn me away for any reason.

"What's wrong Sora?"

She clearly noticed that I was barely able to maintain my composure. I took a breath before sitting next to the drawing and patting the floor next to me. She joined me, though her eyes didn't leave mine for even a moment. It was genuine worry and I knew that she wouldn't leave this place unless she knew I was alright.

"It's... _really_ hard to put it into words," I said.

I broke eye contact with her for a brief moment to catch my breath.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking lately...about this coming war and everything that happened in the last year," I began.

 _"Come on Sora...you've fought against a thousand Heartless, dueled several members of Organization XIII and faced the darkness...you can do this,"_

"The one thing I keep coming back to...is _you_ Kairi," I said.

I placed my hand on the drawing, particularly over the special part that I knew she filled in.

"I didn't tell you...but the first place I went when we got back was here," I said.

I kept my focus on the drawing in an effort to use it to channel my anxiety.

"...I couldn't believe that you came back here and filled it in," I said with a soft laugh.

Feeling a little calmer, I turned back to face her with a grateful smile.

"You're the only reason I was able to get this far...whenever I felt that all hope was lost, your voice kept me going," I said.

I glanced at her face briefly...to see that she was blushing profusely. She didn't seem to notice my gaze, so I reached for one of her hands and held it lovingly. It was a bold move, but I felt like I needed to let her know it all in as clear a way as I possibly could.

"I was horrified when I saw you that day in Hollow Bastion...and when I had the choice of giving up everything to save your life, I did it without a second thought...because you mean the world to me Kairi," I said.

The memories came rushing back to me as I recalled the day when I had to fight Riku to protect her heart. If I had lost that fight, neither of us would be here right now but more importantly to me, she would've been stuck in that empty state. That was the moment when I knew that I was going to make the sacrifice to bring her back. It didn't matter what happened to me because at the end of the day, she was the most important person to me and if one isn't willing to risk it all to protect that person, one couldn't truly call themselves a close friend.

"Nothing compared to the happiness I felt that day when I saw you again in The World That Never Was...that you were alright and more importantly, that nothing changed between us; we were still friends,"

I kept going off of the momentum my words were putting me on, feeling less and less afraid and more and more passionate. I looked away for a brief moment, to try and calm my racing heart before turning back to her.

"Ever since Riku and I got back, I've wanted to spend more time with you because I missed you so much...it was the hardest year I've ever had to endure but then all of this started happening,"

I used my free hand to gesture to the air.

"And now that we could be called at any time...I felt terrified that I'd never get the chance to say what I've always wanted to say to you Kairi," he said.

My eyes broke away, looking towards the ground as I readied myself.

 _"This is the moment...you've gotta say it Sora,"_

Though it was only a two second pause, it felt like days as my brain tried to figure out the words to say to her because now, I was positive of my feelings.

 _"...I love Kairi,"_

"What's that Sora?" she asked.

Her tone was gentle and her other hand enveloped mine, as if she were encouraging me to say what I had to say. I shut my eyes tightly and took a sharp breath.

"That **I love you** ,"

I didn't pause, I didn't struggle nor did I hesitate. I managed to say the three words that I've always wanted to say to her, though my heart continued to have a flood of emotions run through it, like a river with the most intense current.

"I was always watching you since we were kids...I wanted to make you smile and I didn't ever want to see you frown," I continued.

I heard her gasp softly and for some reason, I felt tears start to stream out of my closed eyes.

 _"Why am I crying..."_

Gathering more courage, I continued my speech.

"And after all this time, now I'm sure...I really do love you Kairi; you're **everything** to me...and I would do **anything** to protect you,"

I took a breath and tried to speak again but I was silenced by a finger. My eyes flew open to reveal the most genuine smile I had ever seen grace her face. That...was the face I had grown to love. The face that lit the way whenever I was struggling in the darkness. The face...of the girl I loved.

"You don't have to say anymore...because when I finished that drawing...I knew my feelings too,"

I couldn't believe my ears as I instinctively backed up until I reached the wall. It was then that I realized just how close she was to me. Maybe she ended up leaning closer during what I was saying. Once I saw her lean towards me, I finally managed to grab hold of my erratic heart and face her. Her eyes began to narrow.

"I never stopped thinking about you...even when I thought I had forgotten you, you found yourself right back where you belong... **in my heart** ,"

Those three words...meant the world to me. Even after that long year, of no word or promise that I would come back, she kept me in her thoughts. Kept me in her heart...and that was likely the only reason that we were here today. If she didn't hold me so dear to her, we couldn't have reached this very moment.

She took one of my hands and placed it over her chest.

"...You feel that?"

I felt her racing heart and I smiled inwardly to myself before nodding.

"Every day you were gone...it felt like it wasn't beating," she said.

I narrowed my eyes, feeling guilt begin to swell within my heart. I had kept her waiting so long that even though I came back, I felt as if I didn't fulfill it. I couldn't imagine the pain and suffering she went through while Riku and I were gone, or the feeling of helplessness when she was powerless to help us. I closed my eyes, still feeling tears run down my cheeks.

"But when I saw you again that day...when I hugged you and said that it was real...that was the moment I _truly_ knew that I wanted to be with you,"

She moved nearer to me and gave me a smile.

"You didn't break your promise to me...you came home just as you said you would and for that...you've made me the happiest girl in the world,"

She gently wiped the remnants of the tears from my cheeks.

" **I love you too** **Sora** ,"

My eyes widened even more and once her lips touched mine, my heart skipped a beat. The contact was warm, a great contrast to the cold night's air. It took me a few seconds, but I was finally able to bring myself to kiss back. My hands released hers as one went to her left cheek and the other gently grasped her right arm. She responded by leaning a little closer, ensuring that our bodies were connected, just as our hearts have been for all this time. After several seconds, I broke away from her, smiling and blushing brightly.

 _"Now's the time..."_

I reached into my pocket, before pulling out a Paopu Fruit I picked only moments earlier. Kairi blushed profusely, but didn't shy away from the gesture.

"...Share this with me?" I asked.  
"Of course I will,"

I broke the fruit in half before handing her a piece. Once I did however, she didn't place it in her mouth, instead, she brought it towards mine. I gratefully brought the piece in my hand to her mouth and after a non-verbal count of 3, we gently placed each piece of the fruit into our mouths. The fruit was distinctly sweet, but I believed it was even more so because of the fact that I was sharing it with Kairi. After several more pieces, the fruit was finished.

"...I guess we're intertwined forever," I said.

It was a corny line in retrospect, but Riku's words resonated once again in my mind. I looked back to her and barely time to react before she kissed me again. After several more seconds of pure warmth, Kairi broke away before giving me a smile.

"Even if we didn't share it...you already know that I'm always with you," she said.

I noticed that her face had shifted to a passionate one, her eyes further cementing the fact that she meant every single word. She smiled and before leaning her forehead against mine and placing a hand on my chest. I responded by gently cupping her cheek and nodding.

"Likewise,"


End file.
